No formal charges were brought against Mr and Mrs Bone, but Mr Simmonds, from Leicester, was later charged with breaching data protection laws.

Yesterday, following 12 hours of deliberation, a jury failed to reach a verdict on the former commissioner.

He had denied the charge of unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal data in the three-week trial, in which both Northampton North MP Michael Ellis and former Northampton South MP David Mackintosh were called to the stand to give evidence.

The prosecution in the case asked for seven days to consider a retrial, which was granted.

No charges were brought against Peter Bone MP.

Mr Simmonds was elected as police and crime commissioner for Northampton in 2012, but chose not to stand for re-election in 2016.